Life Lately: July 2016

I used to do these posts pretty regularly, and I was reminded how nice they are to read when Irina from I’ll Take It All posted hers here. Sometimes it’s nice just to read about someone’s everyday life and see what they’ve been up to – not necessarily a review or a travel story. I like it because I’m reminded that people are interesting and relatable and awe-inspiring in equal measures. Also, I like to see the boring details of people’s lives, like every one of the wedding photos, or the boxes of letters they kept from their childhood. So here it is, my July in a nutshell.

Life Lately: July 2016

The crow and the samoosa

Firstly, and most important of all, is that I saw a crow flying over the highway with a samoosa in its mouth and I feel like that moment really spoke to me.

The Drink Water app

I downloaded the Drink Water App and while it definitely encouraged my water drinking habits, after about 2 days I couldn’t keep up with its demands. However, now that I’m trying to quickly tone down and firm up before I head to Bali at the end of the month in earnest, I’m going to commit to it fully. So if you need some helping getting enough H2O while it’s 10 degrees outside, this app is for you. I’ve been reading various ideas about how to get purer water and I’m even thinking about getting a water filter bottle to use with the app!

The #TOAMBlogShop

I’ve been very busy planning my #TOAMBlogShop, which is happening on Saturday, 6 August at Jordan Wine Farm. There are still a couple of tickets available, so if you’re keen to take your hobby blog to a more professional place, book your ticket here. You can find out more about what exactly the workshop is all about, here.

The skincare

I’ve been a bit lazy with my skincare regimen recently, but since I turned 28 last month I thought I’d better get serious about keeping my skin young for a little while longer, at least. I’ve been a fan of QMS Medicosmetics for years and while their products are pricey, they are spectacular. So I bit the bullet and stocked up on my three favourite products from the range. If I had to choose just one, I’d say that their Exfoliant Fluid is my all-time favourite product. It’s a chemical exfoliator, which removes dead skin cells without physically scrubbing your face. It’s incredible! It doesn’t mean I don’t keep my eyes on the make up and skin care market in my spare time. You always have to be open to the potential next best thing. Whether it is products in your local area or from across the world like these propaira australia products. There is always something out there perfect for your skin, considering the fact that everyone’s skin is unique.

The health issues

I’ve been having a lot of health issues recently, all related to my stomach. I’ve had stomach issues for ages but some times are worse than others. For example, recently I would go to a dinner party with 5 other people, and wake up in the middle of the night with full-blown food poisoning symptoms, while everyone else slept like tiny little babies. Then I’d be ill for two days, unable to eat or drink anything at all. I think it has to do with a variety of things (I have an ulcer, depression is closely connected with stomach issues, I have a *very* rich diet), but the fact of the matter is that I have to take better care of myself. So I took a couple of weeks off from eating rich food, wheat, gluten, dairy and sugar, and I cut out my beloved wine, and I started to feel much better. The bummer is that it seems like I might be allergic to food and/or beverages, because when I went back to my normal way of eating which, to be fair, is excessive, I became ill again. So I need to find a more balanced way of life, or give up my one and only hobby (and to be honest, my true love) food.

The beach

No it’s winter, I promise #lovecapetown ? @alexdoot

A photo posted by Natalie Roos (@tailsofamermaid) on Jul 13, 2016 at 8:01am PDT

There was some crazy amazing mid-winter weather happening in Cape Town sometime in the middle of July, which prompted me to head to Muizenberg for a surf. I also randomly went to the beach with my neighbour on a Wednesday afternoon. I use the term “surf” quite loosely obviously, but I really enjoyed being in the water and I could definitely feel it in my muscles a couple of days later. This was a nice reminder to get out and do stuff, not just sit in front of my computer even if I don’t have work to do, cause I feel too guilty to be away from it. Be free, Natalie!

The books

I’ve been reading at a vicious pace recently, which has been great, if expensive. I recently finished A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (devastating), The Woman Who Stole My Life by Marian Keyes (a total gem of a page-turner), Dear Amy by Helen Callaghan (exciting with some nice twists) and the new Harry Potter (!!!!!). Looking for recommendations for my Bali holiday, if you’ve read anything good recently.

The haters

I had a moment of brief but sincere hurt when I stumbled upon the Facebook comments thread on the TV show I present. People have been very negative about the way I speak, what I wear, what I choose for contestants and even my body. I know I should just brush it off, and normally I would, but to be honest I just wanted to respond to all the comments with gifs of people showing the finger. I do also know that it takes a very *specific* kind of person to post a negative comment on Facebook, which should be enough to convince me that it’s not so bad. But I’m human and I have a heart.

The TV hit

Also, in between all that reading I managed to motor through Netflix’s Stranger Things, which you MUST WATCH.

The most amazing dinner

Last night’s 10 course food and wine pairing at @MosaicatOrient was *the* best dining experience I’ve ever had. pic.twitter.com/s8cNI6TCuB

– snap: natalieroos (@NatalieRoos) July 21, 2016

I flew to Joburg to surprise my mom for her birthday and ended up having the best meal of my life at Restaurant Mosaic, which is just outside Pretoria. If you’re looking for somewhere absolutely magical to spend a mini-break or you would like to eat beautiful food prepared by an incredible chef, I cannot recommend this place enough. We stayed over at this stunning “restaurant with rooms”, which was a huge treat. Read my full post and check out my pictures here.

The birthday

I turned 28 at the weekend and celebrated with my friends at a beautiful house in Simon’s Town. The special duo of @ircadillac and @aaanje_ made it a party with balloons, cake and sparklers ?

A photo posted by Natalie Roos (@tailsofamermaid) on Jul 27, 2016 at 5:51am PDT

It was also *my* birthday in July and I treated myself like I was the love of my own life. I booked tables at all the best places in town – we had cocktails at Outrage of Modesty, dinner at Shortmarket Club and the most epic brunch in town at The Pot Luck Club. Of course I felt terribly ill for days and days after, but it was worth it at the time. Read what I thought about Shortmarket Club here.

The best friends

Spending the night in the cutest house, right on Boulder’s Beach, with a collection of my favourite people ???

A photo posted by Natalie Roos (@tailsofamermaid) on Jul 23, 2016 at 3:04am PDT

I also got to spend a night at a stunning beach house right on Boulders Beach with some of my favourite people. My friends brought presents and cake and balloons and at one point they went around in a circle telling me why they think I’m great and I could have died from happiness (and embarrassment) on the spot. It was so special and it reminded me that no matter how much you think you mess up, there are always people who think you’re amazing. The house we rented was stunning, and it’s available on Airbnb if you’re looking for a weekend-away spot. You can literally see the penguins on Boulders Beach from the porch. Dreamy!

The big surprise

My dad’s dad died on his birthday in May this year, so we didn’t get a chance to be happy for my dad. That’s why we decided to host him a surprise party at the end of July – he wouldn’t suspect a thing! As I’ve made abundantly clear (see above) I am all about birthdays, so I didn’t want to let this one slip by without showing my dad how much we love and care about him. He was totally shocked (obviously, hello it’s July) and I think the whole day brought some light into a dark time in his life.

So there you have it, dear diary/reader. I hope I didn’t bore you to death.

On the agenda for August: Juice cleanse, exercise twice a day, avoid eating out and alcohol and prep for Bali.